The Confession
by VanInBlack
Summary: It's the middle of the night, and David Rossi follows Jennifer Jareau home from a Halloween party...


**_A/N: I woke up tonight at 4 a.m. with this idea in my head and had to write it down before I forget it. I'm not sure if everything in the story makes sense. If it doesn't, my lack of sleep is to blame for it. It's past seven a.m. now and I'm heading to bed.  
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**_As ever, I don't own anything or anyone.  
_**

**The Confession**

It was three a.m. and Jennifer Jareau was on her way home. Getting out of the taxi and walking towards her apartment, she suddenly heard steps behind her. Clutching her purse to her body, she searched for her pepper spray. Damn! Now, off all times when she needed it, she didn't have it with her! She began to walk faster. Only a few more steps, and she was home! Her heart began to race, and she mentally prepared herself for an attack from behind. And she wasn't imagining these things, was she? No, there was clearly someone behind her, she could even hear the breathing. Walking up the front yard of her apartment complex, she frantically fumbled for her keys, when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around without thinking, she hauled off, punched her fist into the attackers face and kicked her knee hardly into a certain body part between his thighs, before he went down. It was only then that she heard a familiar voice groan "Ah, shit, Jen!" that she was able to take a closer look at her attacker.

"Rossi?" She almost couldn't believe her eyes. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Her fear began to change into anger.

"I wanted to talk to you." He was sitting on the stairs up to the front door, one hand pressed into his aching groin, the other one holding his bleeding nose.

"And this couldn't wait until Monday?" She hissed angrily

"I didn't know you were going to kill me!" He snapped back.

"How dare you attack me from behind? You're lucky I don't have my pepper spray with me. Or my GUN!" She yelled at him.

Letting his head sink down in defeat, he mumbled "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, but you did!" Realizing that they would wake her neighbors if she kept yelling at him outside her house, she took her keys and opened the door.

"Are you coming now, or what?"

Moaning loudly, Rossi got up, his hands still on his hurting body parts. Knowing that it was probably wise not to say another word right now, he followed her inside and then into her apartment. Gesturing towards the living room couch, she said: "Sit down, I'll get you a towel and some ice."

Joining him a minute later, she tossed the towel onto him and put the ice on the table.

"You're mad at me," he stated matter-of-factly, trying to stop his nose from bleeding.

"Damn right I am! What in the name of all that's holy possessed you to sneak up on me from behind? In the middle of the night, I might add!"

"I didn't think..."

"That you didn't!"

"Jen, I'm sorry. I really am!" He started apologizing.

"You think that's enough? You scared the shit out of me, you twit!"

"Please, Jen. Calm down. I can only say that I'm sorry," he pleaded.

"Why are you here? What is so important that couldn't wait until Monday?"

He looked away from her, the courage he had five minutes ago was gone. Maybe it was better to go. Starting to get up, he muttered under his breath: "Nothing, it's okay. I'll better go."

"Oh no, Rossi! Not before you can give me a proper explanation for turning up at my place at three a.m., almost scaring me to death, even though we just saw each other half an hour ago when we left the Bureau's Halloween Party! Is this some sort of late Halloween prank?"

"Jen, I-I'm really sorry. I'll make this up to you, I promise."

"Sit down when I talk to you!"

He fell back into the recliner again, staring down at the floor, kneading his fingers.

"And please cover your nose with that towel again, you're still leaking onto my floor."

Obeying silently, he weighed the words in his mind, not sure how to start what he wanted to say.

"I'm waiting, Rossi!"

"Yeah, I figured that."

"Stop being a smart ass, you're not in a position for that right now!"

"I, I don't know how to start."

"The beginning usually works well for me."

"God, I imagined this to be a lot easier." Rossi muttered to himself.

"What?"

"I-I came here tonight, because... I-I.. God, I really don't know if you'd like to hear that right now, or at all, for that matter."

"Rossi, I swear to God, if you don't tell me this instant, you'll receive another few of those punches. And I'm pretty sure you've had enough of my rage tonight, am I right?"

Nodding eagerly, he made another attempt of explaining.

"Well, it's just because... you know..."

"I'm listening!"

"I like you, okay!" He finally pressed out.

"What?" JJ couldn't believe her ears. "That's it? We've been working together for almost two years now, and we've never had any major problems with each other so far, I guess that's making it pretty clear that we like each other."

"That's not what I meant. I mean, I really like you! God, Jennifer, you're on my mind all the time, in the office, when I'm at home, everywhere. All I can think about is you and how I could possibly get you to spend time with me outside work. I mean, you're the most beautiful and smart and intelligent woman I've ever met, and when I saw you dancing with those young agents from counter terrorism today, I told myself that it's now or never. I wanted to tell you how I feel before it's too late, before anyone else gets to tell you all those things," he blurted out, much to JJ's surprise.

Had he really said that? Had she heard him correctly? She couldn't believe this was really happening. All she wanted tonight was to finally get to know him better outside of the office, to find out if there was a possibility for them to be more than just co-workers, but he had ignored her for most of the night, ignored her hints and approaches, leading her to realize that working with him was probably all she'd ever get. And now this? He had actually rendered her speechless for a moment, causing her to stare at him with disbelief at his confession.

"Am I too late?" He asked anxiously, hoping and praying she said no. When he looked at her, the fear that he might have lost her forever and honest affection mirroring in his eyes, she felt all her anger vanish from her body. This is what she wanted all along, so she decided to take the chance.

"Lay back," she told him softly, pushing him into the recliner. She went over to the kitchen to get a fresh towel and a bowl with warm water, and sat back down next to him. Carefully cleaning the blood from his nose, she said gently: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to punch you this hard. But you kind of deserved it, for not realizing that I tried to flirt with you all evening."

"You did? So I'm not too late?" He took her hands in his and looked deeply into her blue eyes.

"I did. God, you're supposed to be a lady's man and you don't even recognize when someone's flirting with you?"

"I guess I was too preoccupied with being jealous. I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her closer to him. Closing the last inches between their faces, he captured her warm lips with his, kissing her gently. "I promise it won't happen again." Climbing into his lap, she heard him groan in pain as she accidentally brushed his groin. Attempting to settle back down into the couch immediately, she whispered apologetically: "I'm sorry, I guess that hurt."

"You've got one determined kick in you, I can tell." He grinned, keeping her onto him."Don't pull back, it's okay. I guess I deserve the pain."

He kissed her again, more passionately this time, and they got carried away pretty fast. Holding her naked body in his arms an hour later, he thanked his lucky stars that everything had ended well. "That was amazing, Jennifer," he whispered softly, stroking her hair while pressing her body to his. "Thank God I didn't do any permanent damage," she chuckled, snuggling deeper into his embrace.

"No, you didn't. Why don't we go to bed and I'll show you again that everything's okay?"

Standing up, she took him by the hand and led him over into her bedroom. Closing the door behind them, he said: "I think this is the beginning of something wonderful."


End file.
